Having a dishwasher is a luxury that many of us take for granted, but what happens when it stops working? It’s bound to happen at the worst possible time, too – like when you’ve just used every plate in the house while entertaining, and are now faced with the unfortunate chore of hand washing the lot.

With the ready availability of dishwasher spare parts these days though, dishwasher home maintenance is much more DIY-achievable. One of the most common failures in your dishwasher is the drain hose; a very unassuming plastic component of your dishwasher that, when it fails, can fail catastrophically, leaving you with a potentially flooded kitchen.  

What do I need to replace my dishwasher drain hose?

Replacing your dishwasher drain hose is simple with a combination of a few home tools and appliance spare parts. Obviously, you’ll need to purchase the replacement part, but the only other tools you’ll need are a screwdriver, pair of pliers, and a bucket. 

How do I remove my old dishwasher drain hose?

There are a few steps to take in this repair, but overall, it’s a fairly straightforward process. The very first thing to do is to turn your dishwasher’s power off at the wall; in fact, unplug it altogether, if possible, just to be on the safe side. 

Next, head under your kitchen sink and disconnect the drain hose by loosening the clamp (or clip, depending on how its fastened) with either your pliers or screwdriver. This is where your bucket will come in handy, as there may be water in the hose that will spill out once disconnected. 

Now, you need to locate the other end of the drainage hose, which is connected to the drain pump. You’ll find this at the bottom of your dishwasher, under the base plate which you’ll need to unscrew to access. Unclip the drain pump from the hose with pliers and remove the hose. 

How do I replace the dishwasher drain hose?

Now that you’ve removed the old, faulty drain hose, you can simply fit the replacement hose in place, fitting it in place and feeding it through to the sink. Then, reattach the base plate over it. 

Once you’ve done this, don’t forget to reconnect the new drain hose under your sink with either clamps or clips (depending what fittings you have). Leave the bucket in place as you turn the dishwasher on, just in case you haven’t connected it as firmly as you needed. Check for leaking water from the hose as you run your dishwasher through a short cycle to confirm its working as intended. 

Appliance spare parts make DIY repairs easy

The availability of appliance spare parts makes home DIY repairs easy and much more affordable for many. While replacing your dishwasher drain hose may be daunting at first, it’s an easy job that you can do yourself at home, without incurring an expensive contractor repair bill. 

Local appliance spare parts specialists can not only provide you the parts you need for dishwasher maintenance, but also for any home appliance that needs servicing or repair. While some may not have specialist branded parts in stock, many generic non-branded parts are suitable as a substitute, which can save you money as well.